The present invention relates to the perfumery industry. It concerns more particularly the use of (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane in a perfuming composition, as perfume fixative and/or enhancer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,697 describes via a general formula a number of acetals substituted by a cycloalkyl group and possessing an odor of the amber woody type. Although (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane is comprised in the general formula disclosed in said patent and is mentioned in the list of odorant compounds, (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane is also described as not being amongst the most odorant and appropriate compounds for use as a perfuming ingredient. The odor of (1-ethoxyethoxy) cyclododecane is not specifically disclosed in said document, and although there is disclosed a method of synthesis which can be applied for all the compounds falling into the general formula, the preparation of the invention""s compound is not specified in any example, and said compound is not used in any of the perfumery examples described.
Therefore, in view of said document, it appears that (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane has not been detected as being interesting from an olfactive perspective and one can even wonder whether the inventors had the compound in their hands or not. Some tests described in the examples given further below and done by expert perfumers or panelists, will confirm the fact that the invention""s compound turns out to be weakly odorant and even totally devoid of odor for part of the population.
The present invention is directed towards a method to fix or exalt the odor properties of a perfuming composition or a perfumed article, which method comprises adding to the composition or article an effective amount of (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane.
Another aspect of the invention provides perfuming compositions or perfumed articles containing (1etoxyethoxy)cyclododecane as a perfume exalting fixative.
Now, despite the fact that the odor of (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane is perceivable only by a minority of people, we have discovered that, surprisingly, said compound provides a technical effect which is both new and unexpected, recognized in a general manner even by those who are anosmic to the pure compound, when said compound is used in composition. We have thus been able to establish that (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane can, in a very advantageous way, be used in a perfuming composition as a perfume exalting fixative, while providing to the composition""s fragrance a nice woody connotation. By xe2x80x9cfixativexe2x80x9d we mean here an ingredient capable of improving a perfume by a complex technical effect which results in an effect which is simultaneously characterized by roundness, substantivity, dimension or volume, or still olfactive richness provided by this compound to the composition""s odor.
In addition to its fixing action, (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane possesses also an fixing or exalting effect of some odorant notes of the composition into which it is added, such as in particular the notes of the musky and aromatic type.
It has also been observed that, while most people do not smell the invention""s compound as such, said compound brings advantageously to the compositions into which it is added a very nice odorant note of the woody type which is generally perceived by all. Incidentally, we can emphasize the fact that the effect produced by the invention""s compound is quite different from the one produced by the preferred compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,697. For example (methoxymethoxy)cyclododecane, a compound particularly appreciated for its olfactive qualities according to the cited document, possesses a very powerful odor of the woody and ambery type. This compound must be used in very small quantities due to its strength and does not provide any volume or dimension to the composition to which it is added. The effect of (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane which, as such, turns out to be practically useless, is much more subtle in composition and, besides a woody type odor, particularly interesting for perfumery, it provides a fixative effect such as defined above and a perfume exaltation, thus imparting a new dimension to the odor of the composition containing it. In other terms, the compositions into which (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane is added acquire a perfume quality which is expressed at the same time by a roundness of the odorant note and a dimension and intensity which is difficult to obtain with perfuming ingredients customarily known for their woody odor.
Thus, thanks to its exalting fixative property, (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane, unlike a xe2x80x9cclassicxe2x80x9d perfuming ingredient, does not produce just the effect of adding a particular odorant note to a mixture in order to modulate the odor of the latter. The technical effect produced by the invention""s compound is of a more complex nature, as it has been described above. The comparative tests presented further below show the effect of the invention""s compound in composition, compared with xe2x80x9cclassicxe2x80x9d perfuming ingredients known for their woody odor. In the present case, it is a question of really a new technical effect, which is also very useful for the perfumers.
The perfuming compositions into which the inventive compound is added in order to impart, at the same time, an intensity, roundness, richness and substantivity, are mixtures of perfuming ingredients commonly used in perfumery and possibly one or more solvents commonly used in perfuming compositions. Therefore, a perfuming composition according to the invention comprises the invention""s compound together with at least two perfuming co-ingredients and possibly one or more solvents.
The nature and type of these perfuming co-ingredients do not warrant a more detailed description here, which in any case would not be exhaustive, the skilled person being able to select them on the basis of its general knowledge and according to the nature of the product to be perfumed and the desired olfactory effect. In general terms, these perfuming co-ingredients belong to chemical classes as varied as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, ethers, acetates, nitriles, terpene hydrocarbons, nitrogenous or sulphurous heterocyclic compounds and essential oils of natural or synthetic origin. Many of these ingredients are in any case listed in reference texts such as the book by S. Arctander, Perfume and Flavor Chemicals, 1969, Montclair, N.J., USA, or its more recent versions, or in other works of a similar nature, as well as in the abundant patent literature in the art of perfumery.
Similarly, a detailed description of the nature and type of solvents commonly used in perfuming compositions cannot be exhaustive. A skilled person is able to select them on the basis of the nature of the product to be perfumed. However, as non-limiting examples of such solvents, one can cite dipropyleneglycol, diethyl phthalate, isopropyl myristate, benzyl benzoate, 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)-1-ethanol or ethyl citrate as well as ethanol, water/ethanol mixtures, limonene or other terpenes, isoparaffins such as those known under the trademark Isopar RTM. (origin: Exxon Chemical) or glycol ethers and glycol ether esters such as those known under the trademark Dowanol RTM. (origin: Dow Chemical Company).
The compositions containing (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane according to the invention are suitable for use in fine perfumery articles, such as in perfumes, colognes or after-shave lotions, as well as in other current uses in functional perfumery articles such as perfumed soaps, shower or bath gels, hygiene products, or hair care products such as shampoos or conditioners, body deodorants and air fresheners or cosmetic preparations.
The perfuming compositions according to the invention can also be used in articles such as liquid or solid detergents for textile treatment, fabric softeners, or also in detergent compositions or cleaning products for cleaning dishes or varied surfaces, for industrial or household use.
Said fine or functional perfumery articles are also referenced as perfumed articles.
The proportions in which (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane can be incorporated in the different products mentioned above vary in a broad range of values. These values depend on the nature of the article or product that has to be perfumed and on the olfactory effect sought, namely the intensity of some odorant notes, roundness, volume, substantivity, richness of the final odor, as well as on the nature of the coingredients in a given composition. It has been mentioned above that (1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane in composition was particularly advantageous to reinforce the musky and aromatic notes.
As examples, one can cite typical concentrations from 2 to 30% by weight of the compound with respect to the weight of the perfuming composition in which it is incorporated.
(1-ethoxyethoxy)cyclododecane may be prepared in one step from cyclododecanol in the presence of ethyl-vinyl-ether and of an acidic catalyst. The specific conditions of the reaction will be described in more detail in one of the following examples.